All about Wellington Airport in New Zealand

Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand and is situated at the bottom of the North Island. The greater Wellington area has a population of approximately 450,000 and the city itself is home to about 180,000 people. Wellington is notorious for its windy weather that often creates extreme turbulence during landing and takeoff.

Where is Wellington Airport

Wellington Airport is situated approximately 10 kilometres from the city centre. It is serviced by buses, taxis and shuttles, with the Airport bus running every 15 minutes.

Facts about Wellington Airport

Wellington Airport was opened in 1959 at a cost of £5 million. Its construction was a massive seven-year project involving the reclamation of 135 acres of land, extensive road building, the shifting of the sewer outfall and the removal of 180 houses.

The airport has a single runway that is just under two kilometres in length and has the sea on both ends. Because of the size limitations, the biggest aircraft to use the airport are Airbus A320’s and Boeing 737-800’s. This means that passengers travelling internationally on large long-haul aircraft need to travel to Christchurch or Auckland to commence their journey. As of 2011, Australia was the only international destination accessible from Wellington Airport.

Facilities at Wellington Airport

The airport in Wellington offers a range of facilities including the following:

·         Foreign currency booths

·         Postal services

·         ATM’s

·         Luggage storage

·         Free wireless internet

·         Parents’ room

·         Retail stores

·         Food court

Retail Outlets at Wellington Airport

Wellington Airport offers a number of top stores that sell anything from books to fine clothing to jewellery and sunglasses. Beauty products are also available as are tourist items, DVD’s, CD’s and games. Most of the stores are clustered around a central food court area which offers an appealing environment for browsing. A number of top cafes offer a range of food and drink with a choice of traditional, healthy, Indian and Asian on the menu.

The retail area of the airport overlooks the runway and there is always a rush for tables by the floor-to-ceiling glass window. Many people consider Wellington Airport a destination in itself and enjoy chilling out for a couple of hours before a flight.